Friday Nights of Thunder
by Scandalacious Intentions
Summary: Elphaba has issues with her weakness. Enter Prince Charming right on cue. Fiyeraba undertones.


**Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine.**

She shivered, she was sorry to say not with cold. She pushed her knees up to her chest and wrapped her emerald arms around them, slightly rocking and wondering whether this was for balance or just the first signs of long expected lunacy.

She pushed her long, wavy hair out of her face and tried to control her rasping breaths as the thunder roared outside. She hated storms, she'd never admit it of course but as her roommate was out socialising there was no-one to put on a brave face for. There was no-one even to be afraid with her or tell her not to be ridiculous.

"For goodness sake Elphaba, grow up!" she snapped, deciding that if she wanted something done, she had better do it herself. This was it now. This must be insanity then, it didn't feel a lot different. Other than rocking back and forth on her bed and talking to herself, things hadn't changed much. She couldn't be any more ostracised if she tried anyway.

Lightening struck and she let out a whimper, glad now that Galinda had gone out for dinner with Oz only knew who.

More thunder; loud thunder, close thunder. Thunder that sounded like it was right outside the door. She ignored it, fearing it to be a trick of her sorry, over-worked mind.

Upon hearing her name she realised that it must have been the door. Galinda had obviously forgotten her key…_again._ But Oz, she was early. It was only ten o'clock. For this reason, she paid no heed to how answering the door in her nightdress would be received. It was only Galinda after all, and salvation was at hand.

She flung open the door and stared on in wonder. Since when had Galinda been six foot one? Since when had Galinda dyed her hair to a dirtier shade? Since when had Galinda been a man?

"You're not Galinda!" she shrieked, horrified.

She massaged her temples. '_Oz! Please tell me I didn't shriek_'.

"I'm glad you noticed. I was getting a little confused myself."

"Sarcasm, Master Tiggular, is not becoming."

"I see. And the reason you use it so often is…?"

Elphaba inhaled deeply and forced on a smile. "And how may I help you this evening? I assume you haven't come just to stare at me, entertaining as I'm sure I am."

Fiyero smirked. "Don't flatter yourself. No, I've come for Linny's key." he told her, hoping to Oz that Galinda hadn't made a show of taking it with her.

"I knew it. Do you want to come in? This may take some time."

Elphaba slammed the door and pressed herself against it as the sounds of Shenshen opening her door in the room opposite brought her out of the fantasy world where Fiyero had actually come to tell her he couldn't stand Galinda any longer and had arrived to whisk her away into the sunset.

The prince charming in question, now sitting on his girlfriend's bed, raised an inquisitive eyebrow but made no remark as to her strange behaviour.

"Are you alright in here on your own?" he asked.

'_Oh sweet Oz_' thought Elphaba. '_So the madness shows then._'. She chose to glare at him. "Yes, why shouldn't I be?"

"No reason, I thought I heard something but I must have been mistaken."

Elphaba blushed, a pink tinge spreading in her cheeks. At least he had been gentlemanly enough not to insist he had heard her fearful cries. She had no idea how long he had been standing outside but surely it couldn't have been long enough to have heard the whole ordeal. She could already hear the gentle drops of rain on the roof, signalling the storm was over. Now all she had to do was find the key and he could be on his way and if he dared mention anything to Galinda she would personally ensure that she wore his skin as a ceremonial robe.

'_Oh who am I kidding?_' she thought, knowing she would never be able to lay a hand on him, no matter who he told.

"Right, the key." she said aloud, snapping back into reality. "I suggest you search your immediate area, look in the top drawer of her bedside table and I'll hunt through the lion's den."

He laughed as Elphaba began to search the vanity, trying in vain not to get glitter on her long, green fingers.

"So…how are you?"

Elphaba checked herself. Surely this wasn't an attempt at small talk. No, she couldn't have made an attempt at any sort of pleasantry towards him.

"I'm fine thanks. But what about you? You seem a bit…I don't know, lonely."

"I'm not lonely. I love solitude." she snapped.

"Ouch, sorry I asked."

Elphaba groaned, she certainly wasn't fond of the way her cheeks turned perpetually pink around her only friend's boyfriend and worse, the way she felt she had to apologise every time she snapped at him. She didn't even feel that for the long suffering Galinda.

"No, _I'm_ sorry. It wasn't meant to sound like that. Where have you two gone anyway, anywhere nice?"

"Not really, the usual sort of places."

She smiled softly. "I wouldn't know."

"Elphie, do you ever leave this room."

"Stop calling me that."

"Fine, Elphaba then. _Elphaba_, do you ever leave this room?"

"Of course I do. You see me in lectures all the time. In fact, you usually deem it appropriate to distract me in said lectures all the time."

"Excluding classes."

"Well yes, for lunch and things and that one time; at the Ozdust." she smiled again, this time lighting up her face. He had only ever seen it once before and referred to it as her "pinball smile".

'_Wow_' she thought sarcastically. '_I'm such a social butterfly_".

Elphaba closed the last draw and had to admit that it was no use. She glanced over at Fiyero, raising her eyebrows as a signal of her unasked question. He shook his head. The silence was companionable and Elphaba smiled.

"Ah, the thunder's stopped." and with that Fiyero stood, taking this as his cue to leave. "Well…goodnight Elphie." He tried not to laugh at the flash of anger in her charcoal eyes but couldn't help himself and suddenly her eyes, though still narrowed in her 'death glare', twinkled.

"Goodnight." she murmured, watching him walk away and wishing she had the guts and the excuse to call him back. '_But I do_' she thought, beaming now. "Wait! What about Galinda? How will she get in?"

"Oh. I'd forgotten about that. Um…I'll get her to have another look, it's probably in the lining of her bag, she usually loses things there."

"Typical Galinda. I can't believe she sent you all the way back here for her key."

"Hmm. Well listen, I'd better be on my way."

"What do you mean 'Hmm'? Why else would you be here?" Elphaba was aware that her nasty suspicious nature was not one of her finer qualities but she was afraid now and only partially because she thought he knew about her fear of the sort of weather that burned forests and sent houses to the ground. Now that she thought about it, she supposed there were stranger things to be afraid of. He didn't laugh at Galinda after all; Galinda and her fear of squirrels. But what if he knew how confused she was? What if this whole exercise which involved being pleasant to her and making her feel like an actual person was just a joke? She felt the temperature of her blood rise until it seemed to burn her.

"I had an ulterior motive." he admitted. "I also had to come round and deliver a letter for Pfannee from one of Boq's absurd friends but I waited until I knew she was out, she'd only be all over me like an unattractive rash if she knew I'd called round with it. I thought I'd do so while I was here anyway."

"Oh." Thoroughly ashamed for doubting him, Elphaba blushed yet again and cursed her sensitivity. "Well tell Galinda to check the bottom of her bag and to be more careful next time. I'll wait up anyway."

"No. You need your rest, you have bags under your eyes. I suggest you get some sleep."

She felt as though her heart was going to burst out of her chest and do a little dance around her dorm room as he leant down to kiss her cheek and once again, hated her childish crush.

"Goodnight Elphie."

But for once, she didn't object to her perky nick-name.

She was still grinning inanely when Galinda waltzed through the locked door only ten minutes later, key in hand.

"You found it then. Where was it?"

Galinda stared on, bewildered. "Where was what?"

"Your key. Where was it?"

"In my bag."

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "Yes, Fiyero said he thought it would be there."

"Why was Fifi asking about my key?"

Elphaba laughed inwardly at the nick-name Galinda had given her latest beau. "Galinda, have you never thought that maybe poor Fiyero doesn't exactly relish that nick-name?"

"No, why?"

"Maybe it's just me but don't you think it makes him sound like a miniature poodle?"

"Of course not. Now what would he want with my key, I wonder."

"Galinda, you asked him to come and get it. You lost it."

"No I didn't. Besides, he was supposed to be busy tonight, something to do with a favour for Boq so I went out with Pfannee. He asked me to make sure she was out. Did he come round?"

Elphaba shook her head dumbly. He knew then. He must have heard her. She sighed and wondered where she could wear that ceremonial robe she had promised herself.


End file.
